But the floats stopped for no one, continuing to circle the "racetrack" around Main Street despite the weather.

Families huddled in cars and under what little shelter they could find while lightning and rain pounded the city.

"It just started pouring after a couple of the entries started going by," Joshua Nevarrette said, while taking refuge at the Sun-News building. "Everybody started running their ways to their vehicles."

Chastity Manzanares, 18, and her sister, Reyanne, 14, has both hoped it would rain.